Tool and process for press-fitting weather strip

ABSTRACT

A guide portion ( 3 ) is provided on an upper end of fitting portion ( 51 ) of weather strip ( 50 ) at a front portion of body ( 2 ) of the tool. A sealer member ( 4 ), into which a sealing portion ( 52 ) of the weather strip ( 50 ) is inserted and which possesses a press guide member ( 21 ) for pressing the upper surface of the fitting portion ( 51 ) is provided on a portion behind said guide member of weatherstrip. A vibrator, which imparts the vibration to the sealer member ( 4 ), is stood on the sealer member ( 4 ).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a tool and a process forpress-fitting a weather strip into a flange, etc. of a vehicle's dooretc.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] In a vehicle such as an automobile, a weather strip is intervenedbetween a capping part such as a door or sunroof and a body of thevehicle so as to block the gap between the capping part and the body forthe purpose of preventing the immersion of rainwater, etc. into the gap,and of blocking the zip. The weather strip possesses a fitting portionand a sealing portion. The fitting portion is pressed-in a flange formedalong the side edge of the body, and due to the intervention of thesealing portion between the door etc. and the body when the door etc. isclosed, the gap caused therebetween can be blocked.

[0003] In conventional, as a process for press-fitting such a type ofthe weather strip, a process has been usually applied in which anoperator holds the weather strip and presses-in the weather strip by hisfingers, etc. However, in such a manual operation by the operator, aheavy load should be applied to the operator, for example, possiblyresulting in trouble with the operator's finger(s), and lowering theoperability.

[0004] In order to solve such a problem, for example, Japanese UtilityModel Laid-Open No. 59-116181 discloses a device for providing a weatherstrip. The device for providing a weather strip disclosed thereinpossess a copying roller having a circumferential groove, which can beengaged with the edge portion of the flange to be fit, placed on theouter circumference, and a presser roller having a circumferentialgroove, which can be engaged with the sealing portion of the weatherstrip, placed on the outer circumference. The device has means forkeeping an orientation which keep a relative relationship between thecopying roller and the presser roller in such a fashion that when thebody of the device is moved along the flange to be fit, the copyingroller is rolled on and copied the edge of the flange to be fit, and thepresser roller applies pressure to the sealing portion so as to engagethe fitting portion with the flange to be fit, while guiding the sealingportion.

[0005] According to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-109278, a processfor fitting a weather strip is disclosed. In the process for fitting aweather strip disclosed therein is to move the weather strip forwardunder the condition that an opening of a holding portion of the weatherstrip is applied on the edge portion of a garnish portion, whilerotating the weather strip as the center of the opening.

[0006] However, in the device disclosed in Japanese Utility ModelLaid-Open No. 59-116181, a pressing force is applied to the sealingportion by means of a motor at the time of press-fitting the fittingportion of the weather strip to the flange. Consequently, a motor havinglarge torque is required as the motor to be used in press-fitting theweather strip. The use of the motor having large torque makes the devicelarge-sized. The large-sized device makes it difficult for the operatorto keep the orientation of the device itself in a correct manner,leading to a problem associated with the operability. Furthermore, thedevice disclosed therein has a problem in terms of flowing-up propertieswhen the flange is curved.

[0007] The process disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-109278,is to move the weather strip forward under the condition that an openingof a holding portion of the weather strip is applied on the edge portionof a garnish portion, while rotating the weather strip as the center ofthe opening. Consequently, a large pressure is similarly required in thepress-fitting. For this reason, the device becomes a large-size, causingthe problems associated therewith.

[0008] The present invention is intended to design a small-sized devicefor press-fitting a weather strip so as to enhance the operability ofthe device at the time of fitting the weather strip and to provide adevice for press-fitting a weather strip which has an excellentfollowing-up property even if the weather strip is curved.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present invention, which attains the above objects, is a toolfor press-fitting a weather strip comprising

[0010] a guide member provided on a front portion of a body of the tool,which is supported in contact with an upper portion of a portion forfitting the weather strip;

[0011] a sealer member, into which a sealing portion of the weatherstrip is inserted and which possesses a press guide member for pressingthe upper surface of the fitting portion of the weather strip, providedon a portion behind said guide member of weather strip;

[0012] said tool having a vibrator, which imparts the vibration to saidsealer member, stood on said sealer member.

[0013] The tool for press-fitting a weather strip according to thisaspect, there is provided a vibrator, which imparts the vibration to thesealer member. Because of press-fitting the weather strip to a flangeetc. while vibrating the sealer member, the tool for press-fitting aweather strip of the present invention can securely press-fit theweather strip without requiring any large force. What is more, due tothe configuration of the press-fitting tool where only the vibratorstands on the sealer member, the tool per se does not become alarge-size, and the press-fitting tool has enhanced operability. Also,even if the flange is curved, the press-fitting tool can exhibit goodflowing-up properties.

[0014] According to one preferred embodiment of the tool forpress-fitting a weather strip, the vibrator is an air hummer.

[0015] In this preferred embodiment, an air hummer is used as thevibrator. Consequently, since the simplest member which impartsvibration to the sealer member is used, the press-fitting tool can befurther small-sized as a whole.

[0016] According to another preferred embodiment, an electric hummer maybe used as the vibrator. The use of an electric hummer as the vibratormakes it possible to vibrate the sealer member with good response.

[0017] Also, when a power source which drives the electric hummer isaccommodated within the press-fitting tool, due to the unification ofthe press-fitting tool with the power source, the operability of thepress-fitting tool can be further enhanced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018]FIG. 1 is a partial cutaway view of the tool for press-fitting aweather strip according to the present invention;

[0019]FIG. 2 is a lengthwise cross sectional view of a front portion ofthe body of the tool;

[0020]FIG. 3 is a lengthwise cross sectional view of a rear portion ofthe body of the tool;

[0021]FIG. 4 is a lengthwise cross sectional view of an air hummer;

[0022]FIG. 5 is a lengthwise cross sectional side view of anelectromagnetic hummer; and

[0023]FIG. 6 is a lengthwise cross sectional front view of an electrichummer.

[0024]FIG. 7 is a drawing illustrating a battery accommodated within thegrip member.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0025] Embodiments of the present invention will now be specificallydescribed by referring to the attached drawings.

[0026]FIG. 1 is a partial cutaway view of the tool for press-fitting aweather strip according to the first embodiment of the presentinvention; FIG. 2 is a lengthwise cross sectional view of a frontportion of the body of the tool; FIG. 3 is a lengthwise cross sectionalview of a rear portion of the body of the tool; FIG. 4 is a lengthwisecross sectional view of an air hummer.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 1, a tool 1 for press-fitting a weather stripaccording to the first embodiment of the present invention (hereinaftersimply referred to as “press-fitting tool”) possesses a body 2 of thetool (hereinafter simply referred to as “body”) At a front side portionof the body 2, a guide member 3 is placed and a sealer member 4 isplaced at a portion behind the guide member 3. An air hummer 5 servingas a vibrator, which imparts vibration to the sealer, is stood on thesealer member 4.

[0028] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the guide member 3 is fit to the body2, and has a horizontal member 11, which extends toward a substantiallyhorizontal direction. A pair of supporting members 12 and 12 are placedon both ends of the horizontal member 11, opposite the horizontal member11. Balls 13 and 13 are fit to the tips of the supporting members 12 and12 in a manner of being rotatable in horizontal and vertical directions.By contacting each one point of these balls 13 and 13, the supportingmembers 12 and 12 are come into contact with and supported on upper endsof a fitting portion 51 of a weather strip 50 to be press-fit into aflange F etc. of vehicle. As shown in FIG. 1, at the upper face of theposition on which the guide member 3 of the body 2 is placed, a space Sfor placing operator's hand is secured. By utilizing this space S, theoperator can hold a front portion of the body 2, which makes it easy topress the balls 13 and 13 possessed by the guide member 3 onto the upperends of the fitting portion 51 of the weather strip 50. A holding membermay be placed for the purpose of placing the operator's hand.

[0029] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the sealer member 4 possesses a guideroller 21, which is a guide member for pressing, and a holding member22, which supports the guide roller 21 in a rotation manner. Two rollers21A and 21A are placed on the guide roller 21 at a prescribed distance,and they are connected to a rotation shaft 21B. A through hole 21 a intowhich a seal portion 52 is pierced is formed between these two rollers21A and 21A. The lower ends of these rollers 21A and 21A are come intocontact with and press the fitting portion 51 of the weather strip 50.Furthermore, the holding member 22 has a roof member 22A extendingsubstantially horizontally, and shaft-supporting members 21B and 21Bboth downwardly extending from both ends of the roof member 22A. Arotation shaft 21B is pierced between the shaft-supporting members 22Band 22B so that the rollers 21A and 21A of the guide roller 21 issupported in a rotatable manner.

[0030] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the air hummer 5 has a rod 31accommodated within a case 30, and a hollow cover 32 is fit to a lowerend of the rod 31. Within the rod 31 is perforated a hollow portioncomposed of an air pore perforated from the upper portion of the centerof the shaft and a through hole 34. An air pump (not shown) is connectedto an upper portion of the air pore 33 so as to supply compressed air tothe air pore 33. The through hole 34 is communicated with a hollowportion 32B of the cover 32. A switching valve 35 which switchesdischarge of the compressed air is placed between the air pore 33 andthe through hole 34. An air chamber 36 is formed at a middle portion ofthe through hole 34, another air passage 37 from the switching valve 35is connected to the air chamber 36. At a lower portion of the airchamber 36 of the through hole 34, a vibration hummer 38 is accommodatedin a vertically movable manner. The vibration hummer 38 possesses anupper rod 38A having a small diameter and a lower rod 38B also having asmall diameter. A flange member 38C having a diameter larger than thoseof the upper and lower rods 38A and 38B is placed between the upper andlower rods 38A and 38B. A lower portion of the lower rod 38B projectsfrom an opening 32A of the cover 32.

[0031] A vibration element 39 for vertically vibrating the vibrationhummer 38 is accommodated within the through hole 34, and the lower endof the vibration element 39 is in contact with a base end 38D of thevibration hummer 38. A bush 40 coming into contact with the flangemember 38C of the rod 38 is accommodated at a lower portion of thethrough hole 34 so as to restrict the upper limit of the vibrationhummer 38. A cylindrical elastic collar 41 is inserted into the hollowportion 32B of the cover 32 in order to relax the impact of thevibration from the vibration hummer 38. The elastic collar 41, which canbe preferably used, is one having frictional fatigue strength and notgenerating any force in directions other than the center of the shaftduring the compression, including a rubber material such as urethanerubber.

[0032] A roof member 22A of the holding member 22 in the sealer member 4is fixed on the lower end of the lower rod 38B of the vibration hummer38. As described above, the air hummer 5 is configured so that thesealer member 4 is vertically vibrated through the vibration of thevibration hummer 38. At the upper end of the air hummer 5, a grip member6 to be held by the operator during the operation is provided. Aflexible guide 7 is provided between the sealer member 4 and the airhummer 5 in order to prevent the incorporation of dusts etc. into theair hummer 5.

[0033] Next, the operation of the press-fitting tool 1 having theconfiguration as described above will now be described.

[0034] When the weather strip 50 is press-fit into the flange F of thevehicle, the operator lightly inserts the weather strip 50 along theflange F in advance. At this state, the weather strip 50 is press-fitutilizing the press-fitting tool 1 according to this embodiment.

[0035] Subsequently, when the press-fitting operation is carried out,the press-fitting tool 1 is pressed on the weather strip, having beenslightly inserted into the flange F, from an upper side. The balls 13and 13 of the guide member 3 are come into contact with and supported onto the upper end of the fitting portion 51 of the weather strip 50. Atthe same time, the sealing member 52 of the weather strip is insertedinto the through hole 21 a formed between the rollers 21A and 21A in thesealer member 4, and is brought into contact with the upper face of thefitting portion 51 of the weather strip 50. This is ready forpress-fitting operation by means of the press-fitting tool 1 accordingto this embodiment. At this time, the sealer member 4 upwardly moves toascend the vibration element 39, which is in contact with the base end38D of the vibration hummer 38 in the air hummer 5, to the position ofthe air chamber 36.

[0036] When being ready for the press-fitting operation, the operatorholds the grip member 6 by one hand. The operator puts another hand onthe space S secured on an upper portion of the guide member 3, andapplies slight pressure P as shown FIG. 1 as an arrow. Subsequently, theoperator turns on a switch (not shown) for the air hummer 5 to supplycompressed air into the air pore 33. Thereafter, the compressed airsupplied from the air pore 33 is supplied into the air chamber 36 viathe air passage 37 by means of the switching valve 35 to thereby ascendthe vibration element 39. Thereafter, the switching valve 35 is switchedto supply the compressed air into the through hole 34 to thereby descendthe vibration element 39 to apply impact force to the base end 38D ofthe vibration hummer 38.

[0037] This cycle is repeated by the actuation of the switching valve 35to vibrate the vibration element 39, the vibration, is in turn,transmitted to the vibration hummer 38 to vibrate the sealer member 4fixed on the lower rod 38B. Once the sealer member 4 vibrates, thevibration is transmitted to the fitting portion 51 of the weather strip50. The fitting portion 51 of the weather strip 50 can be securelypress-fit into the flange F through this vibration. Since the sealingmember 52 of the weather strip is inserted into the through hole 21 aformed between the rollers 21A and 21A in the sealer member 4, thevibration can be securely imparted to the fitting portion 51 of theweather strip 50 without obstruction of the sealing member 52 of theweather strip during the course of imparting the vibration to thefitting portion 51 of the weather strip 50.

[0038] In addition, the operator moves the press-fitting tool 1 of thisembodiment forward along the flange F in the direction X shown in FIG. 1in order to press-fit the weather strip 50 into other portions. Whenmoving the press-fitting tool 1 forward, the operator applies slightdownward pressure P to the body 2 while holding the space S secured onan upper portion of the guide member 3. Also, the balls 13 and 13 of theguide member 3 moves while coming into contact with the upper end of thefitting portion 51 of the weather strip 50. What is more, since theballs 13 and 13 can freely move in any of vertical and horizontaldirections, the press-fitting tool 1 can easily and securely movesforward. This makes the operability very ease. Also, since the operatorcan only moves the guide member 3 along the flange F, the press-fittingoperation can easily be carried out, even if the flange F is curved.

[0039] As described above, the air hummer 5 is driven even when thepress-fitting tool 1 is moved and the air hummer 5 imparts the vibrationto the fitting portion 51 of the weather strip 50 via the sealer member4. Consequently, since the vibration is continuously imparted to theweather strip 50 in the lengthwise direction, the weather strip 50 canbe securely press-fit into the flange F as a whole.

[0040] Next, the second embodiment of the present invention will now bedescribed.

[0041] In this embodiment, an electric hummer is used for the vibrationof the sealer member and any other configurations are the same as thoseof the first embodiment. Consequently, only the configuration of theelectric hummer will be described and other description will be omitted.

[0042] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the press-fitting tool 10 according tothis embodiment possesses an electric hummer 60 as the vibrator. Theelectric hummer 60 possesses a case 61 and an electric motor 62 providedon an upper portion of the case 61. The electric motor 62 has a rotationshaft 63 which rotates around the vertical axis. The rotation shaft 63extends to the interior of the case 61, and a first gear 64A of a bevelgear 64, making up the rotation mechanism of the present invention, isfit to the edge of the rotation shaft 63. A second gear 64B which isengaged with the first gear 64A is fit to an edge of a crankshaft 65.The crankshaft 65 is fit via bearings 66, 66, . . . to the case 61 in afreely rotatable manner.

[0043] A pin 67 is provided on the surface of the second gear 64B, andone end 68A of a rod 68, making up the crank mechanism of the presentinvention, is fit to the pin 67. This crank mechanism converts therotation drive of the bevel gear 64 into linear drive. One end 68A ofthe rod 68 is in a ring form as shown in FIG. 6. A pin 67 in insertedinto one end 68A with a clearance. This clearance rotates one end 68A ofthe rod 68 relative to the pin 67. Other end 68B of the rod 68 is in aring form similar to one end 68A of the rod 68, and a drive pin 69 isinserted into other end 68B. The drive pin 69 is fixed onto an upperportion of a drive piston 70, and the sealer member 4 is fit to a lowerportion of the drive piston 70.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 7, a grip 6 of the press-fitting tool 10 has apower source, e.g., a battery B, accommodated therein. A storage space(not shown) is formed within the grip 6; thus, the battery B is storedwithin this storage space and is accommodated within the grip 6. Thebattery thus B accommodated supplies electric power to drive theelectric hummer 60.

[0045] By such a coin figuration, when current is supplied from a powersource (not shown), e.g., a battery, to the electric motor 62 to rotatethe electric motor 62, the rotation force is transmitted to the bevelgear 64. A rod 68 is fit to the second gear 64B of the bevel gear 64,and the rotation drive of the bevel gear 64 is converted into lineardrive, which is transmitted to the drive piston 70 as vertical vibrationso as to vertically vibrate the sealer member 4. For this reason, by therotation of the electric motor 62, the sealer member 4 can be verticallyrotated via the bevel gear 64 and the rod 68.

[0046] In this embodiment, since a power source such as a battery isprovided in a detachable manner for use in the electric motor, the powersource can be unified with the press-fitting tool, making it possible tofurther enhance the operability of the press-fitting tool. It isneedless to say that when the electric power is consumed, the powersource can be exchanged or charged.

[0047] Since the electric hummer is used as the vibrator in thisembodiment, the press-fitting tool has response better than that in thecase of using the air hummer.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0048] As described above, a weather strip can be securely press-fitwithout requiring any large force. What is more, the press-fitting toolper se does not become a large-size, and the press-fitting tool hasenhanced operability. Also, even if the flange is curved, thepress-fitting tool can exhibit good flowing-up properties.

[0049] Since the simplest member which imparts vibration to the sealermember is used, the press-fitting tool can be further small-sized as awhole.

[0050] Also, the use of an electric hummer as the vibrator makes itpossible to vibrate the sealer member with good response. Also, when apower source which drives the electric hummer is accommodated within thepress-fitting tool, due to the unification of the press-fitting toolwith the power source, the operability of the press-fitting tool can befurther enhanced.

[0051] While the preferred embodiments of the present invention havebeen described, the present invention is not restricted to suchpreferred embodiments. For example, while the guide roller is used asthe guide member for pressing, a member which is not rotated can also beused. Further, balls have been fit to the guide member in the preferredembodiments; the fitting of any ball is not essential.

1. A tool for press-fitting a weather strip comprising a guide memberprovided on a front portion of a body of the tool, which is supported incontact with an upper portion of a portion for fitting the weatherstrip; a sealer member, into which a sealing portion of the weatherstrip is inserted and which possesses a press guide member for pressingthe upper surface of the fitting portion of the weather strip, providedon a portion behind said guide member of weather strip; said tool havinga vibrator, which imparts the vibration to said sealer member, stood onsaid sealer member.
 2. The tool for press-fitting a weather strip asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said vibrator is an air hummer.
 3. The toolfor press-fitting a weather strip as claimed in claim 2, wherein saidair hummer comprises a vibration hummer which vibrates said sealermember and a vibration element which is moved by air to vibrate saidvibration hummer.
 4. The tool for press-fitting a weather strip asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said vibrator is an electric hummer.
 5. Thetool for press-fitting a weather strip as claimed in claim 4, whereinsaid electric hummer is an electric motor, a rotation mechanism which isrotated by said electric motor, a crank mechanism which converts therotation drive in said rotation mechanism into a linear drive, and avibration hummer which is vertically moved by said crank mechanism tovibrate said sealer member.
 6. The tool for press-fitting a weatherstrip as claimed in claim 4, which has a power source which drives saidelectric hummer.
 7. The tool for press-fitting a weather strip asclaimed in claim 5, which has a power source which drives said electrichummer.
 8. A process for press-fitting a weather strip which comprisespress-fitting the weather strip into a member to be press-fit utilizingthe tool for press-fitting a weather strip as claimed in any one ofclaims 1 to 7.